Our Happy is Too Loud

So, I'm writing this as I am flying home from San Francisco after
spending an *entire week* away from my two munchkins. I have missed them so much, but have realized how needed some time away is every once in awhile. I flew to the Bay Area to see one of my dearest friends, Emily, and her two sweet boys. I had not yet met her youngest son, Miles. Aren't her two adorable?



Em and I have been friends since the 9th grade. Twenty years of being friends is pretty darn awesome. Every time we are together, we just pick up where we left off.

The day after I flew out, Danny flew out, and the two of us drove up to Napa for a much needed getaway and to celebrate his 40th birthday! We spent our days relaxing, visiting some wineries and eating some pretty fabulous food.



I have to say that Napa was pretty amazing. We had some of the most fabulous food we've ever had. If you're heading there any time soon, you must check out Redd in Yountville. Amazing. Before we travelled, friends of ours recommended it and said they giggled all the way through their dinner there ... it was that good.



And, we agree. It was that good. So, Danny and I enjoyed our little vacay by sleeping in, relaxing, eating good food and driving around God's country. Northern California is so beautiful. On our last day, we drove back on the windy roads to the coast, ate oysters on the bay, drove down highway 1 through the beaches and hills, across the Golden Gate and into the city.



After a night in the city, Danny flew home and I got to spend a few more days with Emily. While her husband was out of town, we laid awake late at night, just like we did in our high school days, but this time talking about being mamas and the weight it carries .. and how both wonderful and difficult it is ... and how we couldn't imagine doing anything else at this moment in our lives ... and finally, how blessed we are to have the munchkins God gave each of us. One of the things I was struck by on this trip is how quiet and calm my friend's children are compared to my rambunctious crew. My kids are just loud, I've come to realize. It's a beautiful loud, but ... um ... still loud.

But, how I've missed that loud. I've missed kissing their chubby cheeks and laying down with them at bedtime and hearing their sweet voices in constant chatter. This is the longest I've been away from the two of them. I had never spent a night away from Britton until we flew to China to adopt Lia Kate. And before this trip, I have only been away for a couple of weekend getaways over the last two years. We are so thankful to our family who took such good care of our monkeys so we could get away! Huge blessing.

So, as I'm flying home at the moment ... the in-flight movie is "They Bought a Zoo", and one of the lines of the movie talks about their "happy" being "too loud." And that's what I'm going with. We have a loud house because "our happy is too loud." After years of longing to be a mama and walking the difficult road it was to get to this beautiful place, I am thankful for the loud I get to hear day in and out. And, have I mentioned how much I miss these two??? Mama's coming home, babies!



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